


Protest This

by starksnack



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Homophobia, M/M, Not from either of the main characters, Protests
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-08 01:28:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18885346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksnack/pseuds/starksnack
Summary: Steve gets caught up in a homophobic protest and gets kissed by a billionaire because that really is his life.





	Protest This

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off [this vine,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFyqkjmwGFs) I've watched it like a million times. I spoke to one of the guys in the vine last year, the cute one on the right, his name is Devin, and I wanted to know if he got with the other guy. And yeah, apparently they didn't know each other, and Devin doesn't actually know if the other guy knows that their kiss sort of went viral. Anyway, they didn't get together, but spoiler alert, Tony and Steve do. ALSO!!! I know in the vine, the guy says "hey professor," before kissing Devin but I cut that part out. (And if you were curious, the old man didn't actually vomit)  
> \- Kait <3000

Steve doesn't quite remember how he ended up on the MIT Campus. He had been going to meet up with his friend at Dunkin Donuts and ended up lost. He turned in a circle, fingers clutching the straps of his bag. There was some sort of protest going on in the square, a man yelling, some students arguing with a growing crowd.

He spotted the Dunkin Donuts across the crowd and resisted the urge to facepalm as he began to elbow his way through the gathered protesters, trying not to think about all the bodies, the people rubbing moving  against him as his stomach roiled anxiously.

A short, dark haired man in glasses was yelling angrily at a protester and suddenly it all hit Steve. It was an anti-LGBTQ protest and the students were trying to get the people gathered to back off. One guy was waving around a sign reading "all your souls are belong to us" in the face of someone brandishing a "life is a straights only event" poster.

Steve gritted his teeth as he tried to make his way out of the crowd to the other side. He was just about halfway there when the words hit him,"You are vile and disgusting, you don't deserve to-"

Steve turned on his heel ready to rip some homophobic asshole a new one. He came face to face with an old, bearded man in the most ridiculous brown cowboy hat.

He was about to put him in his place when the man from earlier stepped up at Steve's side.

"Come here," the brunet reached for Steve,  grabbed him by the shoulder and surged forward to press their mouths together in a quick kiss that Steve almost immediately melted into. His hands flew up to the shorter man's shoulder, about to push forward when suddenly the other man was pulling away.

Steve blushed like  hell, turning to face the old man who was gagging. Steve was unable to move, stunned as he bit his lip.

"Step back," the man shoved at Steve's body, retching. "I think I'm gonna vomit."

Steve shifted away from where he was keeled over, bumping straight into the guy that had just laid one on him.

"Excuse me," he pushed past him, running in the direction of the coffee shop without looking back.

***

When the video ended up online an hour later, Steve learned that he had kissed Tony Stark. The Tony Stark, son of billionaire weapons designer Howard Stark. Their kiss somehow ended up on Vine and Steve scrolled through millions of comments laughing at the old man, praising Tony for standing up for the community and speculating about Steve's identity. The number one question was whether or not Tony was dating him. Spoiler alert, he wasn't.

He put his head in his hands with a groan, hearing the door open and close behind him as Bucky entered their shared dorm. "Hey, pal," Bucky slid a hand across his shoulder as he dumped his bag on their shared desk. "Why the sad face?"

Steve simply passed over the phone  in response so Bucky could watch the video that was already playing on repeat in Steve's mind. He could see it perfectly, Tony kissing him, Steve blushing like a ripe tomato, the old man telling them to step back so he could vomit. There was even a slow motion version of the whole event on YouTube and Tony himself had  reposted the video on his personal account with the caption, "Kissing in front of Crazy Christians."

Natasha, Sam, and his ex, Peggy had all texted him in the last hour, demanding to know when he had started dating Tony Stark. He hadn't answered any of their messages, swiping away the notifications.

"That's some kiss," Bucky passed him back his phone with a grin. "So, Tony Stark?"

"I don't even know him, Buck. I was trying to get to Dunkin to talk to Nat about our math project. There was some homophobic protest and he just laid one on me."

Bucky raised his eyebrow, teasing. "Why don't you get revenge? Kiss him when he least expects it."

Steve flushed, feeling his face burn as he turned back to his phone where the video was still playing - Tony, grabbing onto Steve's shoulder to steady him as he leaned forward. Steve's hand flying to Tony's arm to reciprocate before it was broken off too soon. Tony grinning as the man stepped in front of them, Tony’s brown eyes bright under his glasses. Steve's blush immortalized in the video as he tried not to grin stupidly.

***

He was still thinking about it the next day as he headed back to the same coffee shop to meet Natasha again. Apparently since discovering the place, she had a consistent craving for their coffee. Steve didn't blame her, it was phenomenal.

"Hey!" A familiar voice drew Steve's attention and he turned at the noise to find Tony, waving him over to where he was sitting under a tree. There were metal parts spread out in the grass, glinting in the sun.

He squinted at Steve as he walked up looking around nervously. "Yeah?"

"Did I kiss you yesterday?" Tony got straight to the point, brushing his curling bangs out of his face, eyes wide and brown behind his glasses. "Sorry I didn't give you any warning. It was a spur of the moment kind of thing, that guy was annoying me."

Steve shrugged. "I hate bullies as much as anyone," he admitted, shifting from foot to foot as Tony scrutinized him. "What you did was pretty justified."

"So, I was thinking," Tony blushed, setting down his wrench in the grass and wiping his brow. "How about I buy you dinner."

"Dinner?" Steve squeaked, his cheeks instantly reddening.

"Yeah," A smile flirted at the corner of Tony’s lips. "Everyone online thinks we're dating and I think that wouldn't be so bad."

Steve smiled shyly, hope unfurling in his chest.

"Dinner would be great."

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on [tumblr](https://starksnack.tumblr.com/) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/starksnack/).


End file.
